Glenn Murray on Wednesday blasted Brighton & Hove Albion into the FA Cup fifth round as the veteran striker’s extra-time double sealed a 3-1 win at West Bromwich Albion.
Murray came off the bench to lift Brighton past their Championship opponents in a dramatic fourth-round replay at the Hawthorns.
Kyle Bartley’s late goal, when the defender hooked in from an acute angle, had put West Brom on course for a victory over their Premier League opponents, but Brighton’s Florin Andone leveled with eight minutes left having escaped a first-half red card following an elbow on Sam Field.
Photo: Reuters
Murray took center stage after that to earn Brighton a home tie against second-tier Derby County next week.
Only 8,645 fans braved a cold night in the Midlands, but the stay-aways missed an entertaining clash, despite both managers making several changes.
The first flash-point came in the 31st minute.
Andone and Field tussled for a bouncing ball in the center circle before Andone planted an elbow into Field’s face.
It was missed by referee Paul Tierney and Andone twice went close to opening the scoring soon after.
First, Jonathan Bond saved low from Viktor Gyokeres and Andone’s deflected follow-up flew over. From the resulting corner, Leon Balogun crashed a header against the bar.
Brighton kept pressing and Andone dragged just wide after being sent through by Anthony Knockaert eight minutes before halftime.
Against the run of play, West Brom went ahead with 13 minutes left.
It was a strange goal as Bartley tapped in while most of his body was behind the post after Balogun thought Wes Hoolahan’s free-kick was dropping wide.
Rayhaan Tulloch should have made it 2-0, but planted a free header wide from close range.
The Baggies were made to pay as Andone leveled with eight minutes of normal time left when he drilled under Bond.
That meant extra-time and Albion finished with 10 men after Hal Robson-Kanu limped off with the Baggies having made all their substitutions.
Murray, who had only been on the pitch three minutes, struck in the 104th minute as he bundled in from close range.
He sealed the victory after 117 minutes, clipping a cool finish past Bond.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
Rafael Nadal on Tuesday lost in straight sets to 31st-ranked Jiri Lehecka in the fourth round at the Madrid Open, while Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei advanced to the semi-finals in the women’s doubles. Nadal said that he was feeling good about his progress following his latest injury layoff. Nadal called it a “positive week” in every way and said his body held up well. “I was able to play four matches, a couple of tough matches,” Nadal said. “So very positive, winning three matches, playing four matches at the high level of tennis. I enjoyed a lot playing at home. I leave here with
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
When 42-1 underdog James ‘Buster’ Douglas shocked ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson 34 years ago at the Tokyo Dome, the result reverberated worldwide. Spectators at the 45,000-plus seater venue witnessed one of boxing’s biggest upsets as unbeaten heavyweight champion Tyson was knocked out in the 10th round by the unheralded Douglas in February 1990. Boxing returns to the famous venue on Monday for the first time since that unforgettable encounter when Japan’s undisputed super-bantamweight world champion Naoya ‘Monster’ Inoue puts his belts on the line against Mexican Luis Nery. The 31-year-old Inoue (26-0, 23 KOs) is a huge star in Japan and is just